Community

Historical markers can be found on many of the highways and byways throughout the state. These markers commemorate diverse topics in Texas past, including historical settlements, symbolic buildings, military sites, and important individuals. We have all seen them, but do we take the time to stop and read the story? On Bolivar, there are several historical markers that tell part of the rich history of

The Texas Crab Festival 5K Run, now in its 5th year, was another huge success and brought out many runners and supporters. With 238 registered runners, many being repeat runners for all five years now, the continued support is greatly appreciated. One of our own, Dan Priest, who helped bring the 5K fun run to the Texas Crab Festival, has now qualified for the extreme accomplishment –

Among the many attractions at the Texas Crab Festival each year is the renowned Gumbo Cookoff. This year’s popular event consisted of five teams competing for 1st, 2nd, and 3rd Place trophies as well as the People’s Choice award. The teams began filling the air with the gumbo aroma at 8 am on Saturday morning, enticing the growing crowds to linger for their bite of the goodness. By 11 am, festival folks

Sunny skies and a calm breeze greeted the forty golfers on Saturday participating in the 2017 Texas Crab Festival Golf Tournament. Teams were selected by blind draw on Friday Night at the calcutta, hosted by Chris and Karen Gatlin at Tiki Beach Bar & Grill. With perfect conditions and a well-groomed course, low scores were anticipated. Tee off was at 8:00 with a shotgun start. As always, Gray Hays

The 2017 Texas Crab Festival awareness is heating up. The Banner Selfie Hunt brought the TCF craze to social media and hashtags. The Texas Crab Festival FaceBook page and the hashtag #TexasCrabQuest were booming with excitement as page followers were on the hunt for the TCF banners all around the peninsula. They were challenged to find one of the six banners hanging outside and inside at various

Texas Crab Festival Charities is excited to announce the Winner of the 2017 Texas Crab Festival T-Shirt Design Contest. All the entries were phenomenal this year, but after much deliberation a decision was made. First Place and $100 goes to Philomena “Mena” Baldwin of Beaumont. Outstanding artwork was also submitted from Bolivar artists Ellen Simon and Patti Hagstrom. All of these

In the fall of each year, the Texas Crab Festival holds a contest to select a design for the official festival t-shirt. Artists submit their entries and a winner is picked by judges. This year, the festival committee decided to hold a similar contest for school children and choose a design to be printed on kids-size t-shirts. Over a hundred entries were received from Crenshaw and High Island students. A panel of

Under blue skies and a gentle breeze on Saturday, the 27th Annual Lighthouse Krewe Mardi Gras Parade was underway in Crystal Beach. People started lining the highway several hours before the 11:30am start, waiting to hoot and holler and cheer on the parade. Nearly a hundred floats, vehicles, and fire trucks traveled down the highway with revelers all dolled up to the theme “Roaring 20’s and all that Jazz”,

Congratulations to Beaumont artist Mena Baldwin, Winner of the 2017 Texas Crab Festival T-Shirt Design Contest! Get your awesome new 2017 Crab Fest t-shirts for just $15 now at Maven’s Clothing. You can also get one at Gregory Park after the Mardi Gras Parade this Saturday, Feb. 25th, and at Latitude 29.2 Surf Shop (after Spring Break). And, of course, at the Crab Fest May 12-14. Look for the artists’

By Brenda Beust SmithTexas Land — Land Magazine has given Jane Long and the Jane Long Festival a fabulous four-page spread in its Winter 2016 issue. If you’re not familiar with this magazine, it’s filled with incredible photography of Texas ranch lands and other massive native habitat acreage sites for sale. It also includes wonderful stories of life on Texas

Ever since a group of local friends, residents and business people came together to put on the first Texas Crab Festival in 1986, the Crab Fest has been all about community. Thanks to the continued efforts of local volunteers and sponsors, the annual Mother’s Day Weekend Crab Fest/Beach Party/Family Reunion has grown into a nationally known destination festival, attracting thousands

By Linda Elissalde,
All of the Jane Long Festivals have been outstanding. While is hard to get a group of people to agree on anything, everyone agreed that the 2016 Jane Long Festival was the best. Cannon fire, rifle shots, fireworks, a scavenger hunt, all types of vendors, food, musical numbers, bunker tours, children’s art contest and our play

Cannons booming, pirates brandishing swords, Indians lurking, boogie woogie dancers, Sam Houston, Mirabeau B. Lamar and Jean Laffite. You name it! We had it all at the 2016 Jane Long Festival last weekend. The Festival celebrates the courage and spirit of Jane Long and the residents of Bolivar Peninsula. The Festival is held on the grounds of Fort Travis Seashore Park, with the

By Brenda Beust Smith
Whether you’re coming via ferry or the Jane Long Highway (87) to the big Jane Long Festival Fri.-Sat., Oct. 14-15, be sure to make a stop at the Bolivar Monarch Garden created by Keep Bolivar Beautiful & Beach Bloomers Garden Club at the Joe Faggard Community Building pavilion. I don’t think I’ve ever seen so many butterflies together

A new bird species has landed on Bolivar. It will not likely take flight anytime soon…or ever. Michael Langley had his new 80 passenger airliner fuselage delivered here to Bolivar to the Texas Frog Fest grounds near the highway. Langley purchased the formerly airworthy airliner on eBay. “I was nervous – this was the first thing I ever bought on eBay,” confessed Langley. Most people start with a

The Jane Long Festival Committee is hard at work planning this year’s festival to held on October 14 & 15 at Fort Travis Seashore Park. The festival has expanded to a two-day event and includes historical re-enactments, bunker tours, live music, food & craft booths, and the new Jane Long production, “A Woman for All Centuries.” For Sponsorship, Vendor, or Volunteer opportunities, please go to janelongfestival.org.

The Bolivar Peninsula Cultural Foundation is again hosting the Jane Long Festival on October 14th and 15th, 2016. Help us celebrate the spirit of Jane Long in the historical and newly renovated Fort Travis Seashore Park in Port Bolivar. History, art, music and military reenactors join together in an entertaining tribute to Jane as the “Mother of Texas”. Our past supporters have helped us host several

For the month of June, David Venable is hosting a virtual road trip across America “visiting” food festivals that have been nominated by his viewers. Each show (every Sunday & Wednesday) he will feature a different food festival and will use that food festival’s featured ingredient in his show specific recipe. On Wednesday, June 15, David will be inspired by the Texas Crab Festival to create his

By Brenda Cannon Henley
Ken Meyer started out to call attention to the struggles of service personnel and others suffering from PTS. This US Air Force Security Police Veteran knows whereof he speaks because he is a victim of PTS and he emphasizes that not only does the service member suffer, the family and those that love the man and woman often walk this

The Texas Crab Festival kicked off the 2016 season with great weather and an opening ceremony highlighted by skydivers overhead flying a huge American flag. Visitors were greeted to a weekend of family fun that included over 75 booths featuring local businesses, arts & crafts, great festival food and lots and lots of CRABS! A production crew was on site filming the festival for a web program to air this summer, as well as an event cam streaming all the action live!

Visitors enjoyed great Gulf Coast Music all weekend long with crowd favorite Wayne Toups headlining Friday’s festivities and country music legend Mark Chesnutt drawing record crowds on Saturday night. Bill and JoAnn Ackley were even lucky enough to win a guitar autographed by Mark Chesnutt himself. Saturday night’s Donnie Vondra Memorial Two-Step Dance contest saw Mark and Patti Roznavak take the win.

This year’s events and contests saw a record number of entries as participants battled for Texas Crab Festival bragging rights. Over 250 runners (many in crab costumes) came out to take part in the Texas Crab Festival 5K/1K Run/Walk Saturday morning. 5K overall winner of the race was Justin Dodson. 1K overall winner was Logan Thrower. The Gumbo Cookoff had bigger-than-ever crowds coming out to taste the entries with Team Laissez Bon Temps Rouxler coming out on top. More than 100 entries were submitted by local children for the Texas Crab Festival Media Contest. Dottie DoLittle (with Laura Rojas of Galveston) beat out 27 other dogs to become the Wiener Dog Races champion. 44 Teams competed in the Washers Tournament with Team Ramrod taking the top spot. The Drifters battled it out against 15 other teams to win the Bean Bag Toss Tournament. Other winners included Harold LeBlanc of Crystal Beach who won the golf cart raffle.

Mother’s Day Weekend 2016 closed on another successful festival season, all thanks to the tireless efforts of over 250 volunteers and over 50 generous sponsors. The festival would not be possible without their continued support. And as always, all proceeds from the Texas Crab Festival go to fund scholarships, grants and programs that benefit the residents of the Bolivar Peninsula. Stay tuned to see what’s next – visit texascrabfestival.org or follow the latest news on Facebook at facebook.com/texascrabfestival.